Before you let someone work on your home's electrical system, you should know whether they are actually licensed to do so. Singapore's Energy Market Authority (EMA) maintains a public registry of all Licensed Electrical Workers (LEWs), and checking it takes less than five minutes.
This guide walks you through the process, explains what the registry results mean, and covers the red flags that should make you think twice.
Accessing the EMA LEW registry
The official registry is called ELISE, which stands for e-Licence Information Services. It is maintained by the Energy Market Authority of Singapore.
Portal URL: elise.ema.gov.sg
You do not need an account or login to search for Licensed Electrical Workers. The public search function is freely accessible. ELISE is the only authoritative source for verifying LEW credentials in Singapore. Company websites, online directories, and business cards can claim anything; the EMA registry is where you confirm it.
The portal works on both desktop and mobile browsers. The interface is functional rather than polished, as government portals tend to be, but it does the job.
Step-by-step search process
Here is how to verify an electrician's LEW status.
Step 1: Go to the ELISE portal. Open your browser and navigate to elise.ema.gov.sg. The homepage provides access to various licensing services.
Step 2: Navigate to the LEW search. Look for the public search or enquiry section. The exact navigation may change as EMA updates the portal, but there is typically a "Search Licensed Electrical Worker" or "Enquire LEW" option.
Step 3: Enter search criteria. The ELISE "Search for Licensed Workers" form offers several fields:
- Licence Number (most reliable): Enter the LEW licence number exactly as it appears on the worker's licence card or quotation for an exact match
- Worker's Name: Enter the electrician's full name as it would appear on official documents
- Postal Code: First 2 digits of the worker's registered service postal code, useful for locating LEWs in your area
- Street Name: Any part of the street name linked to the worker's registered address
- Voltage grade filters: Narrow results to a specific LEW grade
Note that ELISE does not offer a company-name search. LEW licences are issued to individuals, not companies, so you verify the person who will actually perform or supervise the work. For the best results, use the licence number. If you only have a name, try the full legal name first, then variations if needed.
Step 4: Review the results. The search returns details about the Licensed Electrical Worker, including their name, licence number, LEW grade, licence validity period, and status (active, expired, suspended).
Step 5: Confirm the details. Check that the name matches the person you are engaging, the LEW grade is appropriate for your work (Electrician grade for most residential, Electrical Technician grade for commercial), and the licence status is active with a validity date that extends beyond your project timeline.
For a detailed walkthrough of the verification process with screenshots and tips, see our comprehensive guide on how to verify electrician licences in Singapore.
Understanding the registry results
The registry provides several pieces of information. Here is what each means for you.
LEW Grade: This tells you what type of work the electrician is licensed for.
| Grade | Scope | Typical Use |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical Engineer | Up to 22kV installations | Industrial, large commercial |
| Electrical Technician | Up to 1kV, up to 500kVA operation (150kVA design) | Commercial, larger residential |
| Electrician | Up to 1kV, up to 45kVA | Standard residential |
For most HDB and condo work, Electrician grade is sufficient. For commercial premises or complex residential installations, you need the Electrical Technician grade or higher. For more on what each grade covers, see the LEW grades guide.
Licence Status:
- Active: The person is currently licensed and authorised to perform the work within their grade.
- Expired: The licence has lapsed. The person is currently not authorised, regardless of their past qualifications.
- Suspended: The licence has been temporarily suspended, possibly due to a compliance issue. Do not engage.
- Revoked: The licence has been permanently cancelled. Do not engage.
Validity Period: Check that the licence does not expire before your project is expected to be completed. If it expires during your project timeline, the LEW must renew it before continuing work.
Red flags when hiring an electrician
Certain behaviours should raise concerns about an electrician's legitimacy.
Refusal to provide licence details. A licensed electrician should willingly share their LEW licence number. If they are evasive, claim they "forgot" the number, or say they will "provide it later", be cautious.
Licence number that does not match. If the number they provide returns no results or shows a different person's details, something is wrong. Do not proceed.
Company claims versus individual licensing. A company saying "we are licensed" is meaningless without identifying which specific individuals hold LEW licences. The company does not hold the licence; individual workers do.
Significantly lower pricing. An electrician who quotes substantially below market rate may be cutting costs by using unlicensed workers. Licensed professionals have training, insurance, and compliance costs that unlicensed operators do not carry.
No test certificate offered. After completing installation work, a LEW should provide a test certificate or completion certificate. If the electrician says testing is not necessary or does not offer documentation, the work may not be performed to standard.
Working outside their grade. An Electrician-grade LEW working on a commercial installation that requires the Electrical Technician grade is operating outside their licence scope. The registry tells you their grade; match it to your project requirements.
What to do if someone is not in the registry
If your search returns no results, consider these possibilities before concluding.
Name variations. The registry uses legal names, which may differ from the name the electrician uses professionally. Try full legal name, alternative Romanisations, and different name orders.
Recent licence activity. If the licence was very recently granted or renewed, there may be a brief processing lag. This is rare but possible. Ask the electrician for their licence number to perform an exact search.
They are genuinely not licensed. If the electrician cannot produce a valid licence number that matches an active record in ELISE, they are not authorised to perform licensed electrical work in Singapore.
If you determine the electrician is not licensed, do not engage them for any installation work. This includes DB box replacement, new circuit installation, rewiring, and modifications to fixed wiring. For a full breakdown of what work requires a LEW in Singapore, see our complete list. The risks (safety, legal, insurance) are not worth the potential cost savings.
Our licensed electrical works team holds verified, active LEW licences that you can check directly in the EMA registry. Our approach to HDB residential LEW services includes providing licence details upfront as standard practice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I find the EMA LEW registry online?
The EMA maintains the e-Licence Information Services (ELISE) portal at elise.ema.gov.sg. It is publicly accessible without requiring an account. ELISE is the only authoritative source for LEW verification in Singapore. Private directories and company claims should always be confirmed against this official registry.
Access it from any browser on desktop or mobile. Bookmark the URL for future reference, as verifying credentials should be standard practice every time you engage an electrician. Our detailed licence verification guide walks through the full process.
What information do I need to search the LEW registry?
The most reliable search is by the LEW licence number as issued by EMA, entered exactly as it appears on the worker's licence card. You can also search by the Worker's Name field, though common names may return multiple results. ELISE also lets you filter by Postal Code (first 2 digits), Street Name, and voltage grade. There is no company-name search field, since LEW licences are issued to individuals, not companies.
For the best results, ask the electrician directly for their LEW licence number. Any legitimate licensed professional will provide it without hesitation. If they are reluctant, treat that as a warning sign.
Can a company claim LEW status if only one employee is licensed?
A company can advertise that it provides licensed electrical services if it employs LEWs. However, the person actually performing or directly supervising the installation work must hold the licence. A company with one LEW and five unlicensed workers cannot have the unlicensed workers perform installation work independently.
Ask which specific person will be the LEW for your project and verify them individually in the registry. If the company says their LEW will "sign off" on work done by someone else unsupervised, that does not meet the regulatory requirements.
How often is the EMA registry updated?
The registry updates as licence transactions are processed, typically within days of a change. New licences, renewals, expirations, suspensions, and revocations are reflected once processed.
Critically, check that the licence status is "active" and the validity dates cover your project period. An electrician with an expired licence is currently not authorised, regardless of their qualifications. Perform your search close to the project start date.
What should I do if my electrician is not in the registry?
First, try alternative name spellings and the licence number directly. If you still cannot find them, ask the electrician to provide their licence number. If they cannot produce a number that matches an active record, do not engage them for licensed work.
The risks of unlicensed electrical work include safety hazards, legal consequences, and insurance complications. Our licensed electrical works team provides licence details upfront as standard practice.
Hire with confidence
The EMA registry exists to protect you. It takes five minutes to search, and it gives you certainty about whether the person working on your electrical system is qualified and authorised. Make it a non-negotiable step in your process every time you engage an electrician for installation or modification work.
The electricians you find through this verification process are the ones worth trusting with your home's safety.
